She Walks in Beauty
by Caitlynne
Summary: Everyone knows she was the goddess of love and beauty, the guardian of Princess Serenity, and the leader of the senshi, but she was so much more.  Work in progress, rated M for violence and adult themes.
1. Prologue

_Hello, everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read this work in progress: "She Walks in Beauty". I just wanted to take the time to say a few words about this piece and where I see it going._

_I've always found Sailor Venus to be a fascinating character in the SM universe. She's spunky, vulnerable, funny, and at the same time vulnerable and hurting. Throughout the manga (both Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V) I found myself wondering about the past life Sailor Venus. I have read a few fanfics on this site that had some very creative and thought-provoking renditions of her past life character. Go check out Crawlspace and Adins's stories right now if you haven't read them before! They made me want to continue to flesh out that idea of her, as well as continuing to pull from Greek mythology as she was in Sailor V, and the influences of the characters around her: Usagi, Kunzite, Ace, and Artemis. _

_This story began with just a few sparse images of select scenes and the poem, "She Walks in Beauty". So in the beginning it may seem like I'm drabbling, but I hope you'll stick with me as this story develops into itself and we find out just where Aino Minako leads us. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!_

_Cait  
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><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

**She Walks in Beauty**

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

~Lord Byron

**Kunzite**

She is still the single most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes upon.

We stand close, so close that we can feel each others heavy breaths on our faces. So close that I can see each pearlescent bead of perspiration that trickles down the side of her flawless face. Even underneath the levels of dirt and blood that cake her face, I can still see how perfect her skin is. Her pale gold hair, lose from the crimson bow that usually holds it back, a color that so reminds me of the great yellow fields of my planet, dances around her shoulders and over her eyes. Those pale, sky blue eyes the color of the morning dawn. They're swimming with tears, and I can't help but think that those tears pooling within those sapphire orbs make her all the more bewitching.

Her mouth opens (two perfectly bow-shaped crimson lips!) into a sharp, shuddering gasp, and her eyes squeeze shut briefly before opening wide and focusing back onto mine. A small, scarlet rivulet trickles from one corner of her mouth, and she whispers in a voice as lovely as birdsong: "Why?" Then, her eyes darken and her expression hardens, and she nearly screams her wrath, the anger of a goddess, into my face: "WHY?" And she sinks her great broadsword deeper into my chest.

My pain causes my knees to tremble and finally give out. She's pulled down with me, half because of her vice-like grasp on her weapon, and half because of my own sword sticking into the pristine white and gold costume of her fuku. My own hand is hot and wet with her blood.

I can distantly make out the sounds of screams of the fighting and the dying. I can hear the thunderous echoes of canons, and then crumbling of marble and stone. The acrid smell of smoke is strong in my nose, and my mouth is full of the coppery taste of my own blood. I lean in towards her, and capture the Beauty's mouth with my own. At first she resists, and then responds to my kiss with equal fervor. I can taste her salty tears on her sweet lips.

My head swoons, and my fingers lose their grasp on my blade. I fall to my side, and my eyes darken. The last thing I can see is Venus laying across from me. Even amidst all of the chaos around us, she seems to shine with her own internal light. She's still crying, she's still in agony, and I know she still must hate me with all of her heart, but she whispers: "Kunzite…" Her voice is faint, vulnerable, and full of gentle emotion. Her eyes blink once, twice, and then slowly close. They do not open again.

Now I cry. Now, the sobs rip out of my chest in loud, animalistic whines and roars. _Why?_ I can still hear that question echoing through my mind, and slowly it blocks out the sounds of the battlefield around us. _Why? Why? WHY? _

I force myself to keep my eyes locked on her face as my screams peter out into moans, and then into silence. It is the end for me, for the Moon Kingdom, for the Shitnennou, for Endymion and Serenity, for everything.

"Mina." I whisper.

She is still the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes upon.


	2. Chapter One: She Walks in Beauty

_Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. _

**Chapter One: **_**She Walks in Beauty…**_

**Artemis**

Artemis was carefully inspecting the large bookshelf before him, taking measured steps as he searched for the exact tome that eluded him. His green eyes, a brilliant vermillion like a cat's, were narrowed in concentration, and his long, perfectly white hair fell down loose to his waist. He would appear nearly human to the casual observer save for two things: the small, white pointed ears protruding from his crown and the golden crescent moon centered on his forehead.

Artemis was a creature of the planet Mau in service to the Moon Kingdom along with his partner, Luna. His planet's inhabitants mostly kept a feline guise, but here on the Moon he found it easier to blend in as a humanoid. He was only slightly abashed in thinking that perhaps Luna and himself had created somewhat… _exotic_ appearances for themselves, Luna even more so than him. Her inky black hair fell in massive shimmering waves to her ankles, and her brilliant cerulean eyes (not even the same color as when she was in her natural form) blinked out at the world from long dark lashes. The two served the omni-goddess Queen Serenity in her kingdom, protecting and advising her as best they could. While Luna dealt with more of the political relations between the Moon and the solar system, Artemis busied himself with research and learning.

Today, that research was teasing him with the curious, difficult teachings of the Mercurians and their shielding systems they maintained around their planet. While Mercury had been generous in donating to the Moon Kingdom several volumes of their research, Artemis was feeling more and more convinced that he would never understand exactly how they managed to exist so close to the Sun with nothing more than an energy field protecting them. He sighed and scratched at one ear as he flipped through the pages and pulled a chair up to the table where he currently had a tower of similar books piled beside him.

So entirely engrossed was he, that Artemis didn't even hear Luna enter the library until she was standing directly across from him delicately clearing her throat. Artemis let out a cry of surprise and nearly tilted his chair to the floor. "Luna!" he gasped, his face turning red. When she smirked and arched a quizzical black eyebrow, he scrambled to recover some shred of dignity. He let out an obviously-forced laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Why'd you sneak up on me like that?" He giggled, the volume of his voice easily giving away the state of his nerves.

Luna didn't respond to his show of embarrassment, and busied herself pulling up another chair to the opposite side of the table while Artemis struggled to compose himself. She smoothed down a few of the ruffles of her yellow dress, then carefully folded her hands on the table before fixing her comrade with a meaningful look.

"The Queen is pregnant."

All foolishness left Artemis's face. He didn't respond to Luna's statement. Instead, he slowly rose to his feet and paced to one of the large library windows, his arms crossed over his chest and his head bowed in thought.

Luna remained where she was seated. "I know it shouldn't feel like such a surprise. After all, Pluto has hinted to Her Majesty that this moment would soon be upon us." Her face remained impassive, but her fingers knotted and fidgeted where they lay on the table top. "I just wasn't expecting this timeline to begin so soon."

"What of the others?" Artemis asked softly.

"We have received news from Jupiter." Luna responded with a bit more confidence in her voice. It helped knowing solid facts and answers. "Queen Io has recently given birth to her first daughter, Princess Makoto. Delegations from Mars have arrived with news of the soon birth to the King's first child, although the sex of the babe has yet to be determined. Mercury also expects the soon-birth of the first royal heir, and it is to be a girl."

"All too close together to be a coincidence." Artemis mused.

Luna nodded, forcing herself to relax and lean back in her chair. "When the girls are old enough, they are to be sent here to begin their training."

"There is a chance that they may not all be senshi." Artemis argued.

The dark-haired woman fixed him with a knowing look. "Reason with your heart, Artemis. You know these girls are to be the ones."

The small quip questioning his methods of thought rustled his pride. "What of Venus?"

Luna pulled her lower lip in between her teeth and chewed on it while she thought over the answer she knew she had to provide. She also knew that Artemis would not be so ready to swallow what she had to tell him. "Artemis… Did you ever hear how Queen Aphrodite came to be born?"

The white-haired denizen of Mau looked over his shoulder at Luna in surprise at the direction their conversation had turned. "I would assume like any other humanoid." He mused. "The bloodlines for each of the royal families can be found within his library." As the thought struck him, he started briskly for one of the stacks on the opposite side of the room.

Luna waved a flippant hand at Artemis. "Honestly, you do realize her daughter isn't going to be born for another 12 years anyways, don't you?"

The words seemed to bounce off of Artemis like dust in the wind as he scanned the shelves. "Luna, don't be ridiculous. That couldn't possibly be right. How could a two year old be a senshi for Serenity's daughter?"

Luna blinked and couldn't help but release a soft laugh of amusement. "Artemis, surely you remember the…" She paused to consider the best word. "…the _difference_ of female Venusian royalty?"

Artemis paused in his hunt and fixed Luna with a quizzical frown. He re-crossed his arms and stared at the floor while his brain pondered her implications.

Luna waited for Artemis to remember, but knew that if the words didn't immediately spring from his lips he might need some prodding in the right direction. "Queen Aphrodite shares something in common with our own Queen Serenity, Artemis. She is a creature of the divine."

Artemis blinked but his face dawned no light of illumination.

"Aphrodite is a goddess, Artemis." Luna explained dryly, slightly disappointed in her studious companion. "She was born of no man and woman."

The white feline still appeared to be non-plussed, and Luna sighed in exasperation. Another difference between she and Artemis was the way they thought. As a diplomat of sorts in the Silver Millennium, Luna found it easier than most to accept what some may consider to be mere fantasy as an absolute truth. Yes, there was an immortal woman who guarded the gates of Time and the Underworld. Yes, on the distant planet of Saturn a dark child was born with the powers to destroy an entire planet. However, for those with more academic minds like Artemis, some facts known and accepted to her were completely preposterous and unbelievable to him. "You know what? Perhaps it would be easier for you to see for yourself. You wouldn't believe me anyways."

Luna left it at that, and it would be ten years on his trip to Venus to witness the birth of the daughter of Aphrodite that Artemis would finally figure out just what she meant.

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><p>Ten years passed in the same fashion that time always seemed to pass in the Moon Kingdom: all too quickly. Before Artemis realized it, Princess Serenity had been born and life in the palace would never be the same.<p>

Serenity was a beautiful babe; she had stunning deep blue eyes and a mass of golden ringlets atop her head. She would happily allow herself to be passed freely from arms to arms in the Queen's court, mouthing her small fist and cooing at the cheerful faces that appeared before her. Even the elusive Outer Senshi of Neptune and Uranus arrived to greet the small child to her kingdom, letting the babe tug at the bows of their fuku as the wiggled their fingers before her eyes. Serenity was a reason for celebration and joy, and she harkened the arrival of others to court, as well.

Messages arrived from Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter announcing the births of their own daughters: Ami, Rei, and Makoto. Just as Luna predicted, each princess was already beginning to show signs of possessing senshi powers. While Princess Serenity was raised over the following twelve years in the lap of luxury and comfort, the other girls were trained in both body and mind not just to enhance their powers, but to become the best product possible as a representation of their planets in the Moon Kingdom. Artemis carefully kept track of the reports which were regularly sent in of their progress. Princess Rei of Mars and Princess Makoto of Jupiter were both showing impressive developments in martial prowess with both weapons and their powers. Princess Ami of Mercury was rapidly becoming somewhat of a prodigy herself; her intellect at the age of ten was already surpassing that of the brightest minds on the planet. The news impressed and comforted him. Surely, the princess of the Moon would be in good hands if these three young girls became her guardians.

Yet there was still no word from Venus.

When Artemis attempted to discuss the matter of the still missing fourth senshi with Luna she would simply shake her head and remind him that the girl hadn't yet been born. Confused, Artemis scoured the kingdom's vast archives for every scrap of information he could find about Venus and its royal family.

So Artemis became somewhat of an expert on Venusians and their planet. Venusians were creatures of luxury and beauty. They enjoyed preening themselves and their world into visions of paradise, and none more so than the royal palace Magellan, which floated among the golden clouds of Venus's sky. Their people held anything to do with the arts, such as music, painting, and theater, near and dear to their hearts. However, they were also deceptively well-versed in battle, hiding their prowess behind calling it merely "dancing with blades". They dressed provocatively, in gossamer and silk gowns of gold, oranges, reds, and pinks. Monogamy was a foreign concept to the people of Venus, which at times lead Artemis to amusing misunderstandings in Venus diplomacy, but were otherwise charming and gracious.

As far as Queen Aphrodite was concerned, there was no literature pertaining to her save she was the most beautiful woman in the solar system and considered to be a goddess amongst her people. She had never born any pervious children to the coming daughter that Luna alluded to, and had ruled her kingdom perhaps even longer than Queen Serenity had sat the throne on the Moon.

Luna's explanation that Queens Aphrodite and Serenity were "divine" fluttered through his head. Not even Artemis and Luna knew the particulars of Queen Serenity's life before her ascension to the throne, and he had a sneaking suspicion that the only one who did know was the mysterious and aloof Sailor Pluto. Pluto, as it turned out, was also very vague in the annals of history. Perhaps Queen Aphrodite was the same kind of creature?

Artemis sighed deeply as he stood before the Cosmic Gate, a blue and green portal held by a crescent-shaped silver base large enough for three people to walk through side-by-side. Twelve years had passed, and an overly-prepared yet completely clueless Moon diplomat was about to travel to Venus to witness the birth of Princess Serenity's final senshi, teach her and instruct her on her duties both as a soldier and a representative for Venus and the Moon, and then bring her back in two years to join her companions and Serenity.

He had very little to bring with him: one large messenger bag slung over his shoulder bulging with books and scrolls he wanted to have with him for the Venus-child's tutelage, gifts of congratulations from Queen Serenity to Queen Aphrodite, and a few trinkets he had carried with him from the planet Mau. His contact from Magellan castle had assured him that his wardrobe and accommodations were already prepared and ready, all he had to do was arrive.

"Artemis!" A laughing voice called out from behind him.

He turned to see four young girls running his way, each wearing a simple yet beautiful dress in a different color. The one who had called him was Serenity, whose hair was already past her waist and styled to emulate that of her mother's: two odango-shaped buns with long tails. She had her white silk dress pulled up to her knees so she could run faster, and Artemis couldn't help but notice that she was barefoot. She skidded to a stop before she would crash into him, which caused the three girls behind her to collide on top of their princess in a tangle of emerald, ruby, and sapphire.

Artemis struggled to keep a straight face as they argued, laughed, and jumped to their feet in a very not-princess-like manner. As he watched, he couldn't help but think of how much they had already grown since they arrived to the Moon. Princess Rei of Mars was already hinting at becoming a ravishing beauty in her own rights: her inky black hair was longer than Serenity's, and her violet eyes flashed with an inner flame that likened her to her home planet. Princess Makoto of Jupiter was still growing taller at an alarming rate compared to the other girls, and still insisted on wearing her wavy auburn hair up in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. Serenity had one day somehow convinced the Jovian princess to leave two long strands loose so they framed the sides of her face, and Makoto had been wearing her hair the same way ever since. And Princess Ami of Mercury, despite having fallen into the same heap as the other girls, was already the image of maturity and sophistication. He was glad that Ami had the other girls to remind her what it meant to be a child.

Serenity was the last to get to her feet, and already had tears welling up in her eyes. Makoto and Ami gave her indulgent, sympathetic smiles, but Rei would have none of it. The Martian princess had a temper like that of her father, King Ares: short and fiery. Her face was nearly as red as her dress from anger. "Usagi, why did you stop like that?" Rei demanded.

Artemis smiled to himself at the use of the nickname that the girls had given their princess. He had to admit, there was something very rabbit-like in the way Serenity wore her hair.

"I had to get here in time to say goodbye!" Serenity protested, tears leaking down her cheeks.

Rei huffed to herself and crossed her arms over her chest. Before an argument could develop, Artemis knelt down before Serenity and rested his hand on his Princess's shoulder. "I'll be back before you get the chance to miss me." He promised gently.

"Promise promise?" She sniffled.

Artemis nodded and got back up to his feet, shifting his heavy bag to a more comfortable position. "When I come back, you'll have another friend, too."

Each of the girls already knew of the nature of his departure, but their eyes all lit up the same anyways. "Venus." Mercury breathed, a smile gracing her face.

"What do you think she'll be like, Artemis?" Serenity asked eagerly, all traces of tears gone. Artemis could see by the way Rei tilted her face back in his direction that she shared the same curiosity.

"Do you think she'll be mean?" Rei asked suspiciously. "Daddy says Venusians can be snooty."

Artemis couldn't help but snort in amusement at the word "snooty" coming from the mouth of the Martian princess.

"What do you think she'll look like?" Makoto wondered, her brilliant emerald eyes drifting up towards the ceiling in contemplation.

"Now girls." A firm but gentle voice chided from the doorway. "Don't keep Artemis waiting. He has an important job to do."

The four girls turned to see Luna standing behind them, a mischievous smile on her face despite the matronly tone in her voice. Her eyes met his, and he could see a shade of sorrow tinting those sapphire depths. A small pain clutched at his heart. _I'll miss you, too._ He wanted to say it, but it seemed like too private of a thing to be whispered out loud in front of the four princesses, so he swallowed his words and settled on a brief, overly-cheerful wave. "I'll see you!" His voice sounded brash to his delicate ears.

Artemis bowed to Serenity, and the girls curtsied back. Serenity wobbled and nearly fell over but Rei steadied her with a hand on her elbow. The Moon child gave the Martian princess a gracious smile of thanks that was returned, and Ami and Makoto smiled at each other at the sight.

He finished his good-byes and stepped through the portal, the girls' questions flying about his mind. He found that he couldn't wait to meet the Venusian princess either.


	3. Chapter Two: Cloudless Climes

_Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me._

_This section revolves mostly around Artemis. I promise, Minako will be arriving in the next chapter, so bear with me!_

_Also, I did a little name changing. I realized I was referring to both Usagi and her mother as Serenity in the last chapter. I'll go back and fix that eventually, but from now on Usagi is Serenity and her mother will be Selene. Forgive me! _

**Chapter Two: Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies**

Artemis had performed an exhausting amount of research on the ins and outs of teleportation, of how the de-particalization on the atomic level was saved to a computer code of DNA that was sent from one end of travel to the computer of the destination and so on and so forth, and he knew that the Mercurians had a good idea of what they were doing when they designed the devices, but he was always secretly relieved when he arrived at the end of his journey in one piece. There was still a slight ringing in his ears, and it took a few seconds for his vision to clear, but otherwise he was safe and sound. It was thus that Artemis took his first sight of the planet Venus.

The platform the gateway stood on was a perfect circle of black granite, etched in hammered bronze and gold that were artfully designed to mimic the waves of the ocean. The walls around the room were made of an unbroken plane of glass, tinted slightly as to not disrupt the tender vision of those just arriving. The glass peaked in a dome above, revealing the cloudy sky.

Artemis found his breath catching in his throat. He had studied the sulfuric atmosphere of Venus in his research, and knew that it kept the skies of the planet a perpetual yellow shade, but never had he expected the beauty of what he saw now. The sky was not merely yellow, but metallic sweeps of amber and orange, as if an artisan had brushed the sky with molten gold. Behind the clouds he could see the faint diamond pin pricks of countless stars. He stared at the glorious heavens for long minutes, unaware of his slackened jaw and wide eyes. It wasn't until someone politely cleared their throat that he was startled from his gawking.

"Just wait until you see the rest of the planet." A dry voice said.

Artemis looked over to see a young man standing by an open door. He looked to be about the age of twenty. The Mauan was bemused with himself thinking that the best description of the young stranger was "beautiful". He had short silvery hair, a shade darker than his own, cut short so it curled over his forehead and around his ears. His skin was slightly golden in color, perhaps tinted from the sky above. He wore loose fitted dark brown trousers, and a pale yellow shirt was tucked in at his waist, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A red sash was tied around one of his biceps.

The young man smirked at critical look Artemis was giving him. "I come in peace?" He said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

Artemis realized he was caught staring and blinked himself back to awareness. He grinned an admission of guilt. "My sincerest apologies! It is my first time to Venus, and wherever I travel I tend to study first and remember my manners second." He stepped off of the granite disk and offered a polite bow. "I am Artemis, scholar of Queen Selene of the Moon Kingdom, and denizen of Mau."

The bow was returned, just a shade deeper of the one Artemis offered. "My name is Adonis, First Sergeant of Aphrodite's Seraphim, the elite guards of Magellan Castle." He straightened and his eyes met those of Artemis. The Mauan noticed that his eyes were a pale blue. "If you would follow me, I will take you to see Her Highness now."

Artemis nodded and adjusted the bag on his shoulder. Adonis spun on his heel and began walking at a brisk pace down the adjacent hallway. Artemis was hard-pressed to keep up, especially since his eyes kept wandering to the magnificent, alien world around him.

The same glass walls and that encircled the teleportation gateway continued down the hallway. They offered more breath-taking views of the skies above, but now Artemis could also see the landscape around him, as well. The building that Adonis now led him through was made entirely of the tinted glass and granite pillars. The sunlight that filtered through the sulfuric clouds gleamed softly against the walls, giving the building an ethereal look. Artemis could also see the immensity of the structure; the towers that rose up around them disappeared well into the cloud cover above.

While Adonis wasn't much of a tour guide (he hadn't offered a word since his introduction), Artemis couldn't help but start pestering the young man with questions. "Are we in Magellan Castle now?"

"Yes." Adonis replied curtly, not slowing his brisk walk. "The South Wing at the moment. This is the part of the palace reserved for planetary travel and the quarters of our visitors. After you have met with Her Highness, I will show you to your quarters."

Artemis nodded absent-mindedly and continued to try and watch where he was going while staring out the transparent walls. Around the glass Magellan Castle, the grounds were sprawling emerald lawns filled with gardens ornate enough to rival those that existed on the Moon, and beyond those gardens swelled an ocean.

The water of the ocean was as astonishing as the sky. The light from above turned the clear water a delicate peach and orange, the foam a very soft golden color. The water lapped gently onto the white sands of the shoreline. Artemis also noticed that there appeared to be some sort of celebration being prepared for by the surf. Large wooden posts were set up holding white gossamer tents and banners. There were also plenty of flags surrounding the outskirts of the event emblazoned with the emblem of Venus.

Artemis opened his mouth to inquire about what the preparations were for, but Adonis was already walking through a set of glass doors into what appeared to be an elevator. The front of the glass doors was faintly etched into the image of a sea scallop's shell. Adonis was giving him an impatient stare, so Artemis swallowed his curiosity and hurried through the elevator's doors.

All questions about the beach were immediately quelled by the view of the palace and the surrounding landscape as the elevator swiftly climbed the castle's floors. Almost immediately, the tower the elevator was in was surrounded by the golden clouds of the planet's atmosphere. Artemis gawked and turned around in circles to take in the 360 degree view, but Adonis remained as still as a statue, his face like that of stone. The Mauan struggled to contain his enthusiasm; he needed to be composed for meeting Venus's queen and goddess: Aphrodite.

Eventually the elevator slowed and came to a stop. The glass doors slid open with a gentle hiss, and Adonis stepped through and then moved to the side of the door, gesturing to Artemis to take the lead. Artemis found that his hands were suddenly sweating and that the hallway seemed peculiarly warm. Swallowing down his fear, Artemis began his walk down the much shorter hallway, at a much slower pace.

Unlike the rest of the palace that Artemis had seen, the glass walls on this floor were all shaded by sheer white curtains, much like the tents he had seen by the ocean. Looking closer, Artemis could see there was a delicate border stitched along the curtains' edges: seashells and the sigil of Venus. Also, the floor here was not black granite, but a mosaic of golden and ivory tiles. At the end of the short hallway, maybe thirty feet away, stood a set of doors carved of what looked to be quartz. Artemis couldn't see any handles, and the doors appeared to be well-shut. He glanced back over his shoulder at Adonis for further instruction, but the soldier was still in his same position, standing straight with his arms clasped behind his back. Artemis took in a steadying breath and adjusted his bags once more. Sending out a prayer to Selene to not look like a fool and for a shred of courage, Artemis took the short walk to the quartz doors.

To his relief, the doors swung open as he approached. What he saw within made his jaws drop all over again, but this time it wasn't Venus's landscape that astounded him.

The room beyond the quartz doors was more lavish than any chamber Artemis had seen on the Moon. Not only was it large in size, but the design and detail within were incredible. The room seemed to comprise itself of three separate parts. The first was a sitting area, complete with large, comfortable looking couches and settees, strewn with throws and sheets of the finest cloth in colors of gold, white, and crimson. The windows were all thrown open wide, allowing a gentle breeze to drift through sheer gold and white curtains. Artemis was alarmed at first, knowing how high they were up in Venus's rather toxic atmosphere, but realized that Magellan Castle must also be housed in a protective dome like that on the Moon.

The second chamber appeared to be a bath, but Artemis thought the words "spa" or "retreat" might be better words. The tub itself was the size of a small pool, and full of pure white bubbles that gave off a pleasant scent of honeysuckle and jasmine. The edges were decorated in a beautiful pattern of topazes and pearls.

And beyond the bath, there appeared to be a bedroom. The bed itself was designed to appear as if it sat within a colossal seashell, and the bed appeared to be no less than the size of the platform that Artemis had arrived on. The sheets were luxurious: velvets and silks in the deepest crimson… and the sheets moved as though they were quite occupied. A throaty chuckle confirmed his suspicions.

Artemis felt his skin turn scarlet, and looked over his shoulder once more towards Adonis who still stood at the end of the hall. The soldier didn't move, but it appeared he had heard the purr of laughter as well. A frown tugged at his mouth. Exasperated, Artemis decided perhaps it was best to excuse himself and come back when the queen wasn't…busy…but all of those hopes were closed when the quartz doors swung shut behind him. Artemis hunched his shoulders and cringed, squeezing his eyes shut and willing to disappear. Perhaps if he transformed into a cat and hid under one of the couches he could go unnoticed?

He gently stroked one finger down the side of her face, marveling at the peaches and cream complexion besides his tanned and callous hand. She smiled up into his gentle eyes, her own brilliant golden orbs shining with amusement and joy. Her flaxen hair, impossibly metallic in its brilliance and shade, fell around her shoulders and in front of her eyes in a mass of curls and waves. He tucked an errant strand behind her ear, and lowered his lips down to her perfect, naturally scarlet ones.

She tasted incredibly sweet, her lips tangy like biting a pomegranate, as their tongues danced against each other. Her teeth tugged at his lower lip and he couldn't help but gasp against her lips. "Minx!" He breathed as a reprimand, but his wide white grin betrayed his bemusement.

She cradled his head in her hands, brushing her fingers across his five o'clock shadow, running them through his thick black hair, down the bridge of his tanned nose. She liked the way his eyes sparkled like flames behind rubies. "My behavior has yet to send you running from my bed." She purred. Her voice seemed to just encourage him more. His hands went from her face to further down her body, pulling her tightly against him before rolling over and pulling her on top of him. She shrieked in delight and scratched her nails down the front of his sculptured chest.

There was the sound of something heavy crashing to the floor behind them. Aphrodite looked over her shoulder at the intruder. "Oh my!" She said with a slow smile.

Her consort abruptly pushed her off of him and sat up to see the intruder, a foul curse already on his lips. When he saw who was standing on the opposite side of Aphrodite's chambers, his face paled and he hurled himself out of the bed to hide behind one of the curtains that pooled down to the floor from the bed's netting. Roughly, he yanked his pants on and his boots. Tucking his shirt under his arm, he summoned as much dignity as he possibly could, fixed a stormy expression on his face, and marched out of the room.

Artemis openly gawked when he saw the man's face, but did not try to stop him.

The quartz doors opened for the man's passing, and as they were slowly grinding shut, Artemis could hear Adonis say softly: "M'lord Ares... A...pleasure... as always." The soldier's tone of voice implied anything but delight in seeing him. Then the door to Aphrodite's chamber slammed shut with a solid finality behind the god of war and king of Mars: Ares.

Artemis felt his mouth open and close soundlessly like a fish, and couldn't bring himself to utter any words through his lips. The rulers of Mars and Venus romping together like a couple of lovesick younglings!

A tinkling laugh like a million bells interrupted his thoughts. Aphrodite daintily covered her mouth with one hand, her cheeks flushed pink from her mirth. "You must excuse his behavior. I had forgotten that I was expecting your company today."

The way she drawled "your company" made Artemis blush all the harder. Did she mean for her words to come across so suggestively? The thought of transforming into a cat and hiding under the couch came again to his thoughts. Mustering his courage, he bowed low and fixed his eyes on his boots. "My name is Artemis, your highness. Scholar of the Moon Kingdom and deniz-"

"Yes, yes!" She laughed again, waving one errant hand in his direction. "Please don't feel pressed into formalities while in my company, Artemis."

Shocked, Artemis looked back up and quickly was two things at once: shocked, and upset with himself for being grateful in his speed. Aphrodite had languidly stood up from her bed, stretching her arms up over her head. Her hair was like poured honey, falling down her back and tickling the backs of her knees. She wore a string of pearls and rubies around her neck, and nothing else.

Realizing he was staring, Artemis squeezed his eyes shut and turned on his heel to look away. The image of her flawless body and generous... features... seemed to be burned into the back of his mind.  
>The legendary Aphrodite, indeed.<p>

His embarrassment seemed to just further amuse her. Her laugh continued, and eventually he heard the soft splashing of water as she stepped into her bath. "You may look now, dear Artemis. I am decent."

Artemis swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to turn around with as much manliness as he could summon. Aphrodite sitting in her bath would hardly be called "decent" in the Moon kingdom. He couldn't imagine how he was expected to remain sane for years upon this planet!

The goddess seemed to see the distress on his face. She smiled again, her golden eyes sparkling like starlight, and ran her fingers through the thick foam that floated on the bathwater. "If you would like, you could join me. I'm sure you're exhausted from your travels."

Artemis was quite sure that it was impossible for his face to turn a more brilliant shade of scarlet. "Uh, um, thank you, your highness…B-but I am, ah, that is to say, I'm…quite…clean…"

Aphrodite gifted him a dazzling smile and drifted to the side of the tub closest to where he stood, resting her arms on the floor at his feet and gazing up at him. "Very well then. I am happy to have you here. Tomorrow will be a great day for all of Venus, and it means a lot to me that Selene has sent you to keep my daughter company." Her eyes gleamed with a passionate light, but Artemis was startled to realize that this particular glare had nothing flirtatious behind it. Rather, it was pure zealotry. "My daughter is to be a mighty senshi."

"I am most excited to meet her." Artemis replied lamely. He was still terribly confused about how Aphrodite's daughter was to be born. The goddess certainly didn't appear to be pregnant! Perhaps she was adopting a young woman to be her heir?

Aphrodite smirked, not missing the blank expression on his face. "We all are, dear kitty cat." Artemis couldn't contain the small jump he performed at her endearment, and suffered her giggles for it. "Return to Adonis, and ask him to take you to your quarters. A servant will come by later to escort you to wherever you need to go. Please don't hesitate to ask for anything. Tomorrow, I will call for you when everything is ready."

Artemis bowed again, relieved that this visit was coming to an end. "As you wish." He began to turn on his heel to walk away, when Aphrodite called out to him at the last second.

"I've been thinking of what to name her." She said, not needing to raise her voice.

With his back turned to her, Artemis could see Adonis waiting for him by the elevator doors. The soldier seemed to be caught in a moment of weakness; his pale blue eyes were transfixed on the goddess in her bath. Artemis could hear the water stir as she got up and stepped out of her tub. He waited the count of five, and then slowly turned back around to face her. Thankfully (and at the same time, regretfully…being in the presence of such a goddess was certainly bewildering) she had covered herself with a brilliant vermillion towel. She was staring at him with a serious look on her face, all teasing gone from her immortal eyes and sensual mouth. Suddenly, she seemed impossibly tall, her skin turned from flushed to the smooth stone of marble. Her eyes gleamed not of starlight, but of the molten lava of the sun itself: scorching and deadly.

"Oh?" Was the most intelligent response Artemis could think of.

Her eyes seemed to be piercing through him, and Artemis had the unsettling feeling that she was peering into his soul. "My Mina will be of great importance to you, Artemis of the Moon and of Mau. I trust you above all others to keep her safe and secure in my absence." Her eyes flicked from him to something behind him for the briefest of moments, and her voice lowered. "From all harm." She whispered softly.

She blinked, and all of the severity lifted. A grin split her face, and she winked at the confused and startled lunarian. "Sweet dreams, kitty cat! I shall see you tomorrow." She waved one hand and disappeared back into the bedroom portion of her chambers.

Dazed, Artemis staggered back through the quartz doors and followed the silent and stoic Adonis to his chambers. It wasn't until later that he wondered what Aphrodite could have been looking at during her warning words, and Artemis realized the only thing behind him in the empty hall had been the young soldier.


	4. Chapter Three: Starry Skies

_Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. _

"_Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies" was originally supposed to be just one chapter, but I've decided to change up my timeline a little bit, hence the "Part Two". _

_P.S.- I got my first reviews, and they were a huge encouragement to keep writing more frequently! If you like what you read, please please please let me know!_

_Shiori12 – I'm always happy to hear from fellow Sailor V fans! I was very flattered by your compliment, and I only hope that I continue to impress. I'm glad you appreciated the Ares/Aphrodite bit… they were one of my favorite pairs in Greek mythology, and I have plans to kind of work that around Minako and Rei a little bit in future chapters._

_Iris C – Wow, my first FanFiction comment EVER! You have no idea how thrilled I was to see your message in my inbox. I know my original thoughts and ideas for this story might fall under the definition of epic, at least in length, anyways. This chapter is for you!_

**Chapter Three: Cloudless Climes and Starry Skies Part Two**

There was a muted knock at the door, and a muffled voice calling out: "Sir Artemis, are you awake yet? Queen Aphrodite sends for you!"

Artemis groggily opened his green eyes and blinked them into focus. For a few seconds he was completely disoriented. He had dreamt of his chambers back at the Moon palace, and of Luna curled beside him with his arm draped over her waist. He had dreamt he was running his fingers through her inky black curls, bringing a smile to her lips. He dreamt she had blinked open her eyes, and they were gold when they should have been blue. "Hello there, kitty cat." She purred.

The awake Artemis groaned and draped his arm across his eyes, trying to block out the hazy golden light that streamed through his window along with the image of Aphrodite's eyes on Luna's face from his mind. He was positive that staying on Venus for any length of time would drive him mad. He almost found himself missing the hysteria of four young senshi in training rampaging through the halls of the palace, all shouting for his attention or bickering through his lectures...

There was another, louder knock at the door.

Grumbling, Artemis threw himself out of bed and staggered to the heavy wooden entry, pushing errant locks of long white hair out of his face. He was still grumbling to himself when he swung open the door to see an impatient Adonis waiting for him. The blond soldier did little to hide his sneer when he saw Artemis's lack of expected preparation. Artemis gifted the young man with a blank stare. The two men faced off in silence for a long minute, just glaring at each other. Finally, Artemis sighed. "…Can I help you?" He asked dryly.

Adonis had become something akin to a babysitter for Artemis during his stay at Venus. The young soldier escorted the scholar from room to room in the palace, not offering up any information to the inquisitive visitor other than what was absolutely necessary to know. Adonis had escorted Artemis directly from Aphrodite's chambers to the dining hall, where they sat together at the same small table to eat their meals (Artemis was happy to discover the food was delicious, nearly as good as the Jovian fare he had sampled on the Moon) and then the soldier walked Artemis straight to his chambers to bid him a good night. Now that Adonis was acting as a Venusian alarm clock, Artemis was worried he had been assigned a very blond and ill-tempered shadow.

"Queen Aphrodite summons you." Adonis replied with equal venom, crossing his arms over his armored chest. His blue eyes were as cold as ice.

Artemis couldn't help but wonder what he possibly could have done to deserve such hostility, but he swallowed back his bitter remarks and nodded. "Allow me just a moment, and I will join you."

He started to close the door, but Adonis blocked it with his hand. "No." He said curtly. "We go now. The ceremony will be starting at any moment." His eyes flickered to the two small, furry white ears protruding from Artemis's crown. "Can't Mauans turn travel-sized or something?"

Artemis flicked his tongue over his lips while he considered. Obviously, Adonis didn't want to miss a moment of the birth of Aphrodite's heir, and truthfully he didn't either, so it would be a shame to drag his feet just to irritate the flaxen-haired soldier… But the thought certainly was tempting. He eventually gave way to proper decorum, and muttered the words that would transform his body into that of a cat's.

As the brilliant silver and white light faded, Artemis looked up to see Adonis looking down at him with a grin twitching his lips. "Cute." He said shortly, and unceremoniously scooped Artemis up into his arms before racing down the hall.

The fur on Artemis's back itched to stand upright, and he did his best to quiet the hiss that begged to escape his mouth, but all malice fled his mind as he focused on clinging to Adonis's arms. He had to give it to the soldier; Adonis was very fast, and the castle did appear unusually empty compared to how bustling it seemed after his arrival the day before. The entire palace was probably gathered to witness the coming of Aphrodite's "Mina".

As the scenery whizzed by, Artemis thought back to the day before, and his meeting with the ruling goddess. He had decided to keep the shocking image of the king of Mars romping in the bed sheets of Aphrodite to himself, and perhaps to block it entirely out of his memory. However, the conversation that happened afterwards was what truly gave him pause and beckoned for contemplation.

He could remember Aphrodite beseeching… no, _commanding _him to act as Mina's guardian, and then her look to where Adonis was standing. When he had looked back at the young soldier, Adonis had been openly staring at his queen, his mouth hanging ever so slightly open, and his eyes wide with adoration. With a creature as stunning and magnificent as Aphrodite, Artemis could hardly blame the young man for staring, but something about it nagged at the back of his mind. Did the goddess imply that Artemis was supposed to protect her daughter from Adonis?

Artemis chanced a glance up at Adonis's face as they continued to race through the palace halls. Besides being slightly taciturn during his wake up call, Artemis could hardly find anything truly dark or menacing in the Venusian's face. His light blue eyes were wide and glowing with excitement, and he could do little to disguise the smile that was now stretched across his face. Artemis assumed that the soldier probably felt a little less stiff being around a cat rather than a humanoid. Adonis wouldn't be the first one to act in such a way.

Artemis had served Queen Selene long enough to acknowledge that at times a goddess's wisdom wouldn't make any sense until a later time… Sometimes, a _much_ later time. For now, Adonis appeared to be no such threat. Rather, the soldier's pluck reminded Artemis of his younger self. When he had first been introduced to Luna and learned that the two's destinies would be forever intertwined, he had dug in his heels as hard as he could. He had found that Luna was brash, obtrusive, nit-picky, and bossy. It wasn't until decades later that he accepted her as a friend, and not for years after that when he started to see her as something even more. So perhaps he and Adonis had just gotten off on the wrong foot. Artemis made a promise to himself to treat the young soldier with a bit more patience and understanding in the days to come.

It took them only a few minutes to exit the palace and enter the gardens of Magellan Castle. The flora and fauna streaked by in a blur, but not before the floral and citrus scents wafted into Artemis's nose. His whiskers twitched in pleasure as he inhaled the heady perfumes. He could make out bits of white marble statues, hear the gentle falling water of magnificent fountains, and gaped at the brilliant riot of colors around him. Very subtly, he could also begin to make out the distant sound of voices belonging to a large crowd of people.

Adonis swept them through the gardens at a breakneck speed. The gardens disappeared into a narrow cobble-stoned path lined by solid walls of evergreen shrubbery. The sound of ocean waves and the scent of salt and brine drifted into his pink nose as Adonis bolted out onto the beach.

The young soldier suddenly skidded to a halt, struggling to catch his breath. As he ran his hands through his ruffled hair, Artemis tried to be helpful and climbed up onto one of his shoulders to allow the soldier use of both of his hands. He may have been mistaken, but he thought he saw a small smile of thanks flicker across the Venusian's face, and then he was striding towards the procession in the brisk, efficient pace of a soldier.

Artemis had been expecting a crowd, but nothing could prepare him for the utter mass of people who now packed the white sands of the beach. They were all dressed in similar colors: whites, golds, oranges, and reds. All of their backs were still turned to him and Adonis, but above their heads he could make out the flapping white flags bearing Aphrodite's crest.

Adonis skirted around the back of the throng for a short while, and then a broad aisle appeared before them. It was merely a stretch of sand that had been roped off from the masses, and the bare beach was speckled with pink and white rose petals. The aisle lead directly to the turquoise waters of Venus's ocean, the waves gently lapping over the white sand. The simple image of blue water, white sand, and golden sky was striking in its beauty and its simplicity, but even the wonders of nature couldn't hold a candle to the woman who was standing just a few feet into the waves, her back to the audience. Her long hair was fastened in a mass of braids, curls, and waves, and even tied halfway up it still cascaded into the ocean around her. She was dressed in a metallic golden tunic, trimmed with golden chains and studded with topazes and sapphires. With her back turned to the shore, Artemis could not see her face, but it appeared her head was tilted back towards the sky, and her arms were spread as though she was embracing the warm sunlight.

Adonis quietly slipped into his place at the end of a row of his fellow Seraphim; Artemis could recognize them by their similar appearance and red bands tied around their arms. The Mauan was grateful for his perch and his front row seat; he had a completely unobstructed view of the goddess and the water. He glanced at the other people around him, and was slightly surprised by some of what he saw. For instance, the small elderly man wrapped in thick blue robes and a tuft of faded sapphire hair on the top of his head was obviously a Mercurian, and beside him was a tall woman with short cropped bronze hair dressed in golden armor and cloth the color of blue sky- she must be from Uranus. Upon further inspection, Artemis could pick out at least one delegate from each of the planets of the Silver Alliance. Artemis suddenly realized just how lucky and honored he truly was to be chosen by Queen Selene to attend this special event. Even a Martian was in attendance, although the "delegate" from that planet had his face hidden under his crimson cloak. The image of the naked King Ares flashed in his mind, and Artemis quickly refocused his attention back on Aphrodite.

The goddess spread her arms to the sky, tilting her head back towards the sunlight. An expectant hush fell over the crowd, and soon all Artemis could hear was the gentle sigh of the small waves lapping against the sand. As he looked on, the sun seemed to shine subtly brighter, bathing the goddess in its golden light. She seemed to shine brighter and brighter, until he had to squint his eyes against the glare.

As the light grew stronger, the calm waters around the goddess began to shift and change. The waves began to pick up in their strength, and the current began to swirl around Aphrodite's legs. Artemis could just barely hear Aphrodite chanting something in her melodious voice over the din of the ocean, and he could see the goddess had wrapped her arms around herself, embracing herself tightly. Though her wildly dancing flaxen hair and the froth of the ocean waves obscured his view, he thought that the tremendous glow that had surrounded her had begun to shrink, but not diminish. Rather, it was as though Aphrodite was focusing all the light to the front of her chest, where her arms held it tightly. The light grew smaller and brighter… smaller and brighter… until it was as though Aphrodite was embracing a tiny star.

Artemis heard Adonis murmur something about the sky, so he tore his gaze away from the shining goddess to glance upwards. The soldier was right; it was as though Aphrodite's glow wasn't the only light being focused. The sky was turning darker and darker, as though she had been pulling the very sunlight from the heavens. The golden clouds turned bronze, and then gradually black. Artemis could make out the tiny pinpricks of stars in the velvety night.

A sharp cry drew his and everyone else's attention back from the alien sky to Aphrodite.

She had collapsed to her knees, still clutching at her chest with white knuckles. The waves were wildly crashing around her, the light shining through the thinner splashes turning the water exotic shades of brilliant turquoise, jade green, and pale gold. Her hair was now completely soaked, and it clung about her body like molten copper armor. The cries ripping from her mouth sent chills down Artemis's spine. Finally, she threw back her head and screamed, and the light she had been clutching exploded.

The goddess disappeared in a column of golden flame and white sea foam.

The force of the blast sent the people on shore staggering backwards as water, wind, and sand sprayed into their faces. Artemis squeezed his eyes shut, and Adonis covered his face with his arms to try and ward off the assault. The roar and thunder seemed to go on for minutes, and Artemis could only hope that Aphrodite was okay and knew what she was doing.

Eventually the cacophony of the wind settled down into gentler whispers, and Artemis felt something warm on his face. Blinking open his green eyes, Artemis shook the sand out of his fur and looked back out to the sea.

The ocean had settled back down into tranquil turquoise waters playfully lapping at the sand. Aphrodite was still kneeling where she had been before the explosion. The feline could make out the sound of her cries and laughter. He was about to open his mouth to remark upon the situation to Adonis when the soldier darted forwards out of the rank and splashed into the water towards his queen. All Artemis could do was sink his claws as far into the young man's uniform as possible and hold on tight to avoid falling into the water.

Adonis was just a few feet behind Aphrodite when he came to an abrupt halt. Artemis peered down from his shoulder at Aphrodite and…

…Mina…

A young woman looking to be about the age of thirteen was floating on her back in the brilliant blue water. Artemis's first thought was she looked exactly like a younger version of her mother: she had the same peaches and cream skin, golden hair, and perfect features, but there were differences, too. Mina's hair was the color of sunlight just after dawn; pale gold and shining with its own luminance. Her hair was also impossibly long. While now it was waving around her body in the water like its own golden tide and tangling around her coltish legs and slender arms, he was sure it would be trailing on the ground behind her when she stood upright. And just like her mother, Artemis was both ashamed and embarrassed to notice she had the beginnings of a body that any man would die for. He groaned inwardly at himself for the thought. By Selene, the young senshi at the palace would be about the same right now!

"My Minako…" Aphrodite crooned, wiping some of the sea foam off of her daughter's face and neck.

At her mother's touch, Minako's eyes blinked open for the first time. Artemis had expected them to be golden like her mother's, but instead they were the deepest color sapphire. They went wide with alarm at the sight of the people standing around her. Her pert pink mouth made an "O" of alarm, and her arms quickly crossed over her chest to cover herself. For a brief second, her eyes found her mother's, then Adonis's, and then flickered up to look at Artemis.

Artemis could feel something in his heart break as she looked upon him, and was suddenly very glad that Adonis had insisted on taking him to this event in his feline form so this young demi-goddess wouldn't see the crimson blush that spread across his cheeks. He wasn't sure if it was the conversation of the previous day with Aphrodite about serving as her daughter's protector or not, but Artemis was slightly surprised at his… paternal feelings towards the girl. A piece of him wanted nothing more but to cherish and protect Minako, and to serve her as best he could. His ears twitched in pleasure at the thought.

Minako's eyes went back to her mother, and the panic seemed to fade from her expression. She smiled tentatively up into her mother's radiant face, and then launched herself into the goddess's open arms. The two melded together, and Artemis could see tears of joy and love sparkling down Aphrodite's cheeks. She embraced her child tightly, burying her face into Minako's liquid gold hair, her own honey blond hair falling around the two of them. The affection reminded Artemis of times he had seen Queen Selene embrace her daughter Serenity, just a golden reflection of their silver.

Aphrodite pulled back far away enough to smile once more at Minako's beaming face and then choked back another sob of joy before waving towards one of her attendants standing on the shore. An elderly woman splashed into the water towards her mistress carrying a thick white towel to wrap around her new princess. The Queen rose to her feet and reached down to help Minako stand for the first time.

Artemis had expected Minako's legs to wobble and give way as she became accustomed to her new form, but the princess rose with the grace of a swan. As her mother wrapped the towel around Minako's shoulders, the feline guardian was surprised to see the sea form not drip from her pink skin, but seem to solidify as it splashed into the ocean beneath them.

His attention was taken from the strange mystery as he watched Aphrodite and Minako walk towards the shore, where the crowd erupted into a deafening cheer. He expected Adonis to follow, but the soldier seemed anchored to where he stood. Artemis chanced a glance up at the soldier's face. He seemed to be in some sort of shock for a moment. His eyes were wide and unblinking as he stared at the backs of the queen and princess, a soft red blush across his cheekbones. He stared like that until the two golden angels had disappeared into the crowds, and only then did he shake his head and seem to break out of his revelry.

Adonis knelt down into the clear water and reached one hand beneath the surface. Curious, Artemis wondered what he could be doing, when the soldier's hand reappeared above the crystal waves. He opened his hand, palm up, to inspect what rested there.

It was a perfect pearl, slightly golden in color: a bit of sea foam that had cascaded off of the body of Minako. The soldier stared at it for a minute before carefully tucking it in his pocket and striding towards the beach.

_For those of you who have read the Sailor V manga, the birth scene and the pearl might be somewhat familiar. I wanted to loop those images into my story as well as I could! Also, I interchanged between "Mina" and "Minako", but "Mina" is Artemis's new term of endearment for our newly born princess. Not everyone will be calling her that. And how do you like Adonis? Still kind of sweet in that semi-stalker kind of way? Haha_

_Please leave comments of what you think! Nothing is better writing encouragement. ~ Cait_


	5. Chapter Four: Dark and Bright

A/N: Sometimes I wonder why it feels like I write and I write, but my chapters always end up looking so short compared to some of my favorite authors. And then I realize it's because I've had practically NO DIALOGUE yet in this farging thing! No wonder! Artemis is such a "thinker"! Minako won't keep quite as much on the inside…

Hopscotch19- Thank you for leaving your review! I hope I didn't sound like I was complaining about not having any earlier! I honestly don't feel that way! But it was oh so sweet of you to leave me that little bit of happiness. I hope you enjoy this next section as much as the others, and that the overall arc of the story is to your liking!

JPandS- "Alluring", eh…? Good Aphrodite adjective, right there! I'm glad you liked the prologue so much! I'm honestly pretty excited about writing the end of the story so I can revisit that section and flesh it out a bit from other perspectives. Poor Kunzite! Poor Minako! (Hands you a box of tissues!) Let us continue to sniffle through the story together, okay? Seriously though, I'm so happy you like it! Continue to enjoy!

And to all the people who have favorite my story, and to those "stalkers" who have me under surveillance, this section is dedicated to you!

_Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Sad panda…_

**Chapter Four: Dark and Bright**

Minako sat before a full-length mirror, studying her reflection. She saw a beautiful young woman. Her hair caught the light streaming in from the windows behind her, making her already golden hair shine like sunlight. Her mother's attendees had cut some of her hair out of her eyes into wispy bangs that danced across her face, and had trimmed the length of her hair so it just brushed the backs of her knees. She was currently dressed in a simple white shift made of delicate silk, and Minako could just make out the shapes of her breasts, the curves of her waist and her hips, and the bare yet glistening skin of her arms and legs, which while slender were firm and strong. Pursing her mouth, she looked down to her hands, which she flexed and turned and studied with critical blue eyes. The skin was flawless, yet to be tried with any walk of life, and yet she just knew she could do amazing things with them.

Her eyes rose back to their reflection, and she just knew they were supposed to be filled with pride and beauty, but all that currently swam in those sapphire depths was a question mark.

The fact that there were so many things that she _just knew_ was starting to bother her.

Aphrodite had assured her that those feelings of confusion would fade in time; that as a demi-goddess and through that naturally skipping the growth and development of being a babe and having a childhood, she was born with a natural awareness and knowledge. While it was a disconcerting sensation, she would eventually adjust and be more at ease. In the meantime, Minako had come to learn that she was a very quick study.

Aphrodite had introduced her to dozens of denizens and servants in Magellan Castle, and Minako had flawlessly learned and memorized names to faces. If she didn't let herself think about it too hard, she found that her body already knew the exact way to curtsy to a gentleman rather than a lady, to look through her long black feathery eyelashes just so, and to twitch her lips into just such a smile to send a man stuttering away, weak in the knees. With ladies, she knew how to complement with sincerity, to embrace them in such a way as if she had known these beautiful strangers all of her life. She would comment on the color of their eyes, the style of their hair, or what they wore, and the shallow things would titter off their thanks and fan their blushing cheeks, ensuring her that _no one_ could possible match Minako's own beauty.

She also just _knew_ a brown-noser when she saw one.

There was a soft knock at the door, and a gentle female voice called out to her: "Princess Minako, your mother has asked to see you when you're ready!"

Minako shoved less pleasant thoughts to the back of her mind at the idea of seeing her mother again. Aphrodite was the one person who treated Minako as if she had been at Magellan Castle all around. She never stared or gawked at her, or made her feel like she was some sort of alien creature who had been birthed in some sort of epic catastrophe of water and light. In the several weeks that had passed since her "birth", Aphrodite had been quick to include Minako in every segment of life around the palace that she could squeeze her into. During the day, Aphrodite would teach her daughter the nuances of politics, the differences of the empires within the Silver Millennium, and the laws and duties of Venusian royalty. During the night, all solemnity would fall away from her mother's face. She would be more of a sprite and less of a goddess as she taught her daughter how to wear her hair, sampled different perfumes, or chatted gaily about anything that crossed her mind while her attendants fitted Minako for all her new gowns.

Aphrodite was truly a capricious creature. Around her subjects she seemed to cast a glamour over herself; she would stand taller, her eyes would glint with a hard golden light, and her voice, while still terrifyingly lovely, carried the edge of the sharpest dagger. The goddess seemed to find her moments of joviality, as well, and the disguise would dissolve into a warm glowing woman with laughter like birdsong. Minako was both pleased and honored to be able to look upon Aphrodite and call her "mother". And so it was with a broad white smile that lit up her troubled face that the young princess called out to her caller: "Please come in!"

A Venusian woman let herself slip through the door, her arms filled with another mountain of new clothing that needed to be arranged in Minako's rapidly filling wardrobe. Minako knew she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she rather enjoying dressing herself in the finest silks and most delicate gossamer. Her mother had taught her to enjoy and cherish her beauty, but also to remember that her beauty was like a tool. With time, she would learn how to do amazing things using just her appearance alone…

"What do you bring me today, Sylvia?" She asked, skipping over to the woman's side to see what she held in her arms.

Sylvia was a mortal Venusian, and while still quite breathtakingly beautiful in her own right, Minako could just make out the fine lines that traced her brown eyes and the curves of her lips. Her hair, already pure silver, was pulled back into an ornate yet sensible braid that ran down her back. Aphrodite had encouraged Minako to embrace Sylvia; she had been tending to the goddess since she was a young woman and was one of her closest acquaintances.

Sylvia laughed and twisted herself so her back was to the curious princess. "Nothing you get to play with yet, little love." She chided gently. Minako felt her chest warm at the use of the nickname Sylvia had given her. "You have something important to attend to first before you get to play with your dresses." She motioned with her chin towards Minako's dressing table. "Set yourself there and start braiding back your hair. You won't want to leave it down today. I'll help you in a moment after I ready your clothes."

Minako pouted but obeyed, traipsing to her stool and hastily pulling a comb through her hair as she watched Sylvia in her mirror. The silver-haired woman had finished putting away her new gowns before Minako could see them, and was pulling out what looked like a woven cotton and silks tunic, along with a pair of… sensible… looking trousers and a pair of soft but sturdy leather boots that would reach her knees.

Minako blinked at the sight of the wardrobe choice. They were the complete opposite of what she had been dressed in lately, but she didn't want to offend Sylvia's choice. She loved the woman too much to risk hurting her feelings. The hand maiden didn't miss the doubtful look the princess had given her though, and chuckled at Minako's discomfort. "You've enjoyed the fine parts of being a princess of Venus for quite a while." She chided gently as her fingers expertly combed through Minako's silky golden tresses. "Today you'll start a new part of your training with Sir Artemis."

"The cat?" Minako asked blankly.

Sylvia just laughed again and shook her head and as hands expertly braided the princess's hair down her back and tied it with a bit of white ribbon. "You'll see soon enough. Now get dressed and let's get going. Best not to keep your mother waiting, right?"

Minako didn't voice an objection, kicking off her simple white shift and pulling on the pants and tunic. Sylvia helped her with the ties that laced down her back as she pulled on her boots, and then studied herself critically in her mirror. She looked… plain, really, without even her hair to serve as her decoration, but that subconscious part of her mind was pleased about what she saw and felt. She was… excited? Determined?

Sylvia caught the confused and haunted look in Minako's eyes and delicately cleared her throat. Minako's eyes fluttered and she offered the silvery woman an apologetic smile. Sylvia nodded and squeezed the girl's slender shoulders. "It's alright." She whispered. "Just go with the flow, right? Your mother and Sir Artemis are out at the gardens."

Minako gave her a bright smile of thanks and nearly ran out the bedroom in excitement.

The sun was just beginning to set on Venus when Minako reached the gardens. She found her mother waiting for her in one of the more private sections of the luscious grounds. It was a small grassy circle, perhaps ten yards across, surrounded by sentinels made of jade bushes and trees that towered high into the air. Here in this circle, there were no exotic orchids or delicate blooms, merely grass and shadow. Minako found this as curious as the clothes she had been instructed to wear, but took it in without a word.

Aphrodite wasn't alone while she waited for her daughter. Her mother was as beautiful as ever in her long golden toga of a dress, bedecked with golden necklaces and draped with pearls. Her hair hung lose and pooled in the emerald grass at her feet. She was speaking with a white-haired man she had never met before, but Minako could tell her mother was working him for all she was worth. She smiled, laughed, her cheeks tinged pink and her golden eyes glittering. Her hands waved as she talked, appearing dismissive, but Minako knew that she was subtly drawing attention to her eyes and her chest as she spoke.

The stranger seemed to be well under her charms. He stood as still as a statue, with a small but somewhat panicked expression on his face. He was dressed in strange clothes; all white made of silk and linen. There was a heavy silver belt tied around his waist bedecked with small opals, but the oddest thing about this man were the golden crescent moon on his forehead, and the small white furry ears that poked out of his silvery hair.

Minako had seen plenty of fashion oddities during her short life on Venus, and she had been well taught to keep her less-than-polite opinions to herself, but these cat ears had to take the cake. She was even more exasperated when she heard a peal of laughter ring from Aphrodite and her mother croon: "Oh, kitty cat!"

As with whenever her mother had introduced to her someone new by name, Minako felt a sliver of recognition trace its way down her spine, but no other knowledge or feeling came with that thrill. It was another somewhat disquieting feeling that Minako was learning to cope with. She had tried confiding in her mother about the vague disquieting moments that peppered her days, and Aphrodite would do her best to console her daughter, but Minako could see the grief in her mother's eyes whenever the discussion came up. She knew her mother worried sometimes whether she had done the right thing bringing Minako into the world the way she did and consequently causing pain to her daughter, so Minako did now what she was rapidly beginning to excel at: act. She brought the brilliant, dazzling smile to her face that she knew her mother loved best, and skipped towards her mother and the strange feline-man with a bounce in her step.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, mother!" She called out happily.

Aphrodite's head immediately swiveled in her direction at the sound of her voice, and a completely sincere and joyous smile illuminated her stunning features. She held her arms out wide to her daughter, and Minako launched herself into them, burying her face in her mother's perfumed hair.

Minako had already decided that the bond she shared with her mother was worth all of the unpleasant notions she might experience. They were parts of each other, and whenever they touched Minako knew she was home.

After they shared their embrace, Aphrodite held her daughter at arm's length and gestured towards her companion. "Dearest," She began. "I would like to introduce you to Sir Artemis of the planet Mau, High diplomat of the Moon Kingdom, and servant to my high sovereign and dear friend: Queen Selenity, Grand Empress of the Silver Millennium."

Minako saw the man's cheeks pink slightly at the introduction, and the cat ears atop of his head twitched. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Princess Minako."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Artemis." Minako said softly with a precise curtsy. She then narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Forgive me, but you imply that we've met before…?"

Artemis laughed nervously and shifted a long, narrow box that he was holding in his arms. "Ah, that's right. I was there the day of your birth, princess, but I was not as I appear before you now."

"The good people of the planet Mau have the unique ability to shape shift." Aphrodite explained. She grinned menacingly and reached out to tug at one of Artemis's white ears, which caused the embarrassed diplomat to immediately turn scarlet. "Dear Artemis here was a cute little white kitty the day you were born."

The first minutes of her life were mostly a blur in Minako's mind, as she had slowly come to terms with her new consciousness, but now that she thought about it hard enough, perhaps she _did_ recall seeing something white and furry on a young man's shoulder…

Her mother's voice brought her out of her revelry, and almost all of the teasing faded from her face. "My dear Mina, Artemis is going to be a very important person for the two of us." She glanced at Artemis again, this time with a just as warm but much gentler smile. "Artemis is going to be your guardian when I am not with you."

"Guardian?" Minako blurted, momentarily forgetting decorum. "Not with me? What do you mean?" That little strange _knowing_ in her heart pattered as the words left her mouth, but Minako was currently too bewildered to pay them mind.

"Well," Aphrodite began carefully. "From now on, Artemis will be assisting you in your advanced studies, and begin teaching you in the arts of combat. Then, in a year, it will be your duty as the Princess of Venus to make your way to the Moon Kingdom and offer your loyalty and devotion to Queen Selenity's daughter." Minako could tell that there was a lot more truth behind those cryptic words than her mother was letting on, but Artemis spoke up then.

"My queen sends you this gift, Princess." Artemis said politely, and offered the box he had been holding.

Upon closer inspection, Minako was astonished at the beauty of the "box". It was made of solid wood, polished to a high shine and embellished with priceless gems and filigree in silver and gold. Crescents like the one on Artemis's forehead seemed to artfully worked into the curves of the gemstones and swirls, and on the middle of the lid was the largest one yet, looked to be cut from yellow diamond. Minako carefully reached out and traced the beautiful artwork, and was surprised how she could somehow sense a great power coming from within.

"Please, open it." Artemis urged.

Minako found a small golden clasp on the side of the paneling, and the box glided open on well-oiled hinges. Inside was a sword.

"Sword" seemed too common a term for the masterpiece of weaponry that lay in crushed black velvet before her. It was easily twice the length of her arm, its blade clear and sparkling like crystal. There was a golden diamond in the center of the clear blade, matching the ornate golden hilt fashioned to look like interlocking crescents. Entranced, Minako reached out and grasped the handle. As her fingers wrapped around the grip, the crystal of the blade emitted a gentle golden glow. A sudden strength flowed down her arm and through her veins, and she lifted the large broadsword effortlessly. Artemis stepped back with the box still in his arms, while Minako tried a few practice swings. She had never wielded a blade before, so she was surprised just how right the sword felt. It was like a mere extension of her arm. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"It's beautiful…" She whispered, watching the glow of the blade pulse in the darkening evening.

"It's called the Moon Sword." Aphrodite said softly. "It is the holy blade that serves to protect the Silver Millennium. To carry it is a great honor, Minako. And for this to be gifted to you by Queen Selenity herself means she must expect great things from you." She paused, and then lifted her hands out before her. There was a small explosion of golden light. As Minako watched, the light began to twist and solidify until it became a golden chain made of beautiful heart-shaped links embedded with topazes. With a gesture of the goddess, the chain seemed to spring to life and snaked through the air towards Minako. She raised her free arm without thinking and the chain coiled around her forearm. The metal was slightly warm, and like the sword it seemed to hum with its own unlocked powers.

"And that is the Venus Wink Chain." Aphrodite nodded to the golden hearts. "The weapon of the Senshi of Venus. I give it to you."

Minako looked down at the broadsword in one hand and the chain in her other in muted and stunned silence.

"You have been bestowed two holy weapons," Aphrodite continued, her golden eyes flashing ominously. "And you will need them both if you are to succeed in your mission."

"Mission…" Minako repeated, dazed, and suddenly she knew exactly what that mission was. In unison, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Minako chanted: "Protect the princess."

The next morning, Sylvia woke up Minako.

The young blond princess was rather shocked; she had never been startled out of sleep since her birth. She clutched her blankets to her chest and blinked up at the silver-haired woman in panic, and the maid simply grinned down at her astonished face. "Rise and shine, little love!" She said in a voice that seemed all too awake and pleasant for the hour. "Sir Artemis is waiting for you!"

"Oh… that's all…?" Minako yawned hugely and stretched out her body before slowly drifting back to sleep in a more comfortable position. Within seconds she was sleeping soundly once more.

Sylvia laughed to herself and went about preparing Minako's clothes for the morning: a pair of tanned britches, an ocher colored tunic, and a long-sleeved silk shirt for underneath. After a couple more unsuccessful attempts, Sylvia was able to convince Minako to get up and dressed by wafting treats she had taken from the kitchen for her breakfast. So while Sylvia combed out the tangles in Minako's hair, the princess happily munched on fruit and fresh roles smeared with creamy cheese.

Sylvia was nearly done braiding the girl's glorious locks out of her face when there was a knock at the door. Minako paused mid munch to give the door an alarmed look. First she was woken up from her slumber, and now people other than Sylvia were calling on her before the sun was even at a proper height in the sky? Her eyes met Sylvia's in the mirror, and the maid patted the girl's shoulder before going to answer the door. Minako's eyes followed Sylvia and she hurriedly stuffed the last of her food in her mouth before anyone could try and take THAT away from her.

Meanwhile, Sylvia had opened the door to see a young soldier waiting for her, his hand already frozen in the air in mid-knock. Sylvia glared at him until he slowly lowered his fist to his side. Then, he summoned what little bit of courage the woman had not yet sapped from him and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Good morning, mam. I'm here to escort Princess Minako to her training session with Sir Artemis this morning."

Sylvia studied the young man's simple uniform and armor which gave nothing of his rank away to her, but she did see the telling red sash tied about his arm. So he was one of Aphrodite's Seraphim.

"What's your name, young sir?" She asked coolly.

"First Sergeant Adonis, mam!"

"Well, Adonis," Sylvia casually dropped his rank and title. She didn't need someone decades her junior bothering her or Minako so early. She felt bad enough waking up the princess herself, nevermind some messenger from Artemis. "Princess Minako will be ready in just a moment." When the soldier didn't reply or budge, she continued with a sigh: "You're more than welcome to wait here in the hall until she is finished."

The soldier nodded sharply and stepped back, but didn't move from that spot. Sylvia sighed and shut the door so she could return to Minako.

She found the princess was already expertly finishing the braid Sylvia had started, one bit of apple sticking out of her mouth as she focused on her work. She smiled a bit sadly. Aphrodite had spoken to her several days before Minako's birth, finding a sympathetic and secretive shoulder to cry on about her worries and fears creating a new life molded from her own being. Sylvia was honored that the goddess felt comfortable enough around her to express such concerns. While Aphrodite was older than her by centuries (she was an immortal goddess, after all) there were still times Sylvia felt like Aphrodite was a younger sister. While she could occasionally catch glimpses of the confusion and frustration on the face of Aphrodite's daughter, Sylvia was convinced that Minako would be able to rise to the challenge.

The girl bounced to her feet, smoothing the front of her tunic and studying her reflection with a critical eye. She flitted over to Sylvia to kiss her cheek, and then bounded towards the door. "I'll see you later!" She called out happily.

Sylvia caught one last glance of a stunned Adonis staring at Minako before the door slammed shut.

Adonis watched on in amusement as Minako stared blankly at the dull, heavy, metal broadsword and the nondescript silver chain that Artemis was holding out to her.

"That's not the Moon Sword and the Venus Wink Chain." Minako said flatly, arching a skeptical golden eyebrow at her guardian.

"Very good, Minako." Artemis responded with equal dryness in his voice. He shoved the sword and the chain into her arms.

Minako scrambled to make sense of them. The sword seemed infinitely more heavy and clumsy than the gold and crystal blade she had been given the night before, and the silver chain felt flat and lifeless. "I thought I was supposed to train with my weapons." She grumbled. "Not this trash…"

Adonis did his best to smother his laughter. After fetching Minako from her chambers, he had escorted Minako to the same garden where she had been the night before. All along the way she had practically bounced and danced at his side in excitement of beginning her training with the beautiful relics she had been given. Her joy made her blue eyes sparkle, and the grin on her lips seemed to illuminate her entire face. He had done his best not to stare, thinking that Minako was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Unfortunately, he remained rather silent during his short escort while the princess chatted away. He wanted to crack silly jokes that would make her laugh, or perhaps softly-spoken comments of her beauty that would bring a blush to her cheeks, but the words wouldn't come to mind. So he had simply led her here to Artemis and then stood off to the side to watch Minako and the diplomat work together. Artemis had asked Adonis to stick around as he could use his help a little further on in the training.

Adonis had to be careful that he didn't say "yes" too quickly, although there was already a glint of knowing in the other man's feline green eyes.

Now, Artemis was teaching Minako how to properly hold her weapons. He showed her how to drape the chain around her waist in a way that would allow her to easily free it for attacks. He demonstrated how she was to hold her sword. When she tried to use two hands instead of one, he lightly smacked the back of her left hand. With one hand, the sword wobbled and then fell to the ground with a heavy thump.

Minako's eyes watered and she pouted towards Artemis. Adonis felt his heart lurch at the look that would put a puppy's eyes to shame, but Artemis seemed un-phased. Eventually, he had her swinging her sword through several drills, each swipe and cut at a sharp snap of his voice. The tears were gone from the princess's eyes, replaced by a fierce glint of determination. As she swung, Artemis spoke.

"I will be training you to become a senshi, Minako, as is the wish of your mother. As a demi-goddess born of Aphrodite herself, your potential is limitless. I will teach you how to wield the powers of your avatar: metal and light, as well as giving you weapons training. You have this one year to master your skills, and then you will be leaving with me to return to the Moon to begin your duties."

Minako seemed to be listening with little complaint, but Adonis frowned a little as he listened. Just a little over a year after she was born and she was already being shipped off of her planet to serve her life to some foreign princess she had never met? It seemed cruel and heartless.

"Queen Selenity has gifted you with the Moon Sword." Artemis was continuing on as Minako worked. "This was more than just a birthday present, Minako. The owner of the Moon Sword is the leader of the senshi within the Silver Millennium. It is a great honor that comes with great duty. Besides guarding Princess Serenity, you will be in charge of leading the rest of the Inner Guard, including the senshi of Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter. So!" His eyes narrowed at Minako, who had stopped her practice to stare at Artemis a bit incredulously. "From now until we leave for the Moon, each and every day, you will meet me here at sunrise for weapons training with myself and Artemis for four hours. Then you will be allowed a short break for breakfast and bathing, and you will report back to me for your studies. You will be trained in the histories of the solar system's planets , warfare and strategy, and leadership. Finally you will spend the rest of the day with your mother who will continue to instruct you on how to behave in the royal court and how to be the best representative of Venus."

Minako dropped her sword again. Adonis was concerned to see her face had turned ashen, and now he could see undisguised hurt flash in her eyes. He wondered if Artemis could see it, too. His gaze flicked to Artemis, and he realized that yes, the diplomat saw that hurt, too.

Minako's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, and one tear leaked from her eye and traced down her cheek. Adonis watched as conflicting emotions warred over the beautiful young woman's face.

"Do you understand, Minako?" Artemis asked in a low but firm voice. Adonis could sense the true weight of the question.

Minako wiped the tear away from her cheek with the back of her hand. The glimmer in her eyes could either be sorrow or anger. It was impossible to tell which. "I understand."


	6. Chapter 6: Her Aspect and Her Eyes

A/N: Holy cow! An UPDATE! You know, when I started writing this I was in the process of reading every scrap of Senshi/Shitennou fiction I could find, and it always made me sad when I saw an author hadn't posted up an update for months and months. I thought to myself: "Self, you will not be that kind of writer!" Well, my last update was… (cringe) December 4, 2011?! And it's July 2014? I am officially horrible about updates, and I'm sure all of you lovely people who have been following this are beyond upset with me. Hopefully this chapter makes up for my year of slack!

I promise that it wasn't all pure procrastination. Several HUGE life changes took place last year, but now I'd like to get back to what I love to do most: writing. My goal is at least one chapter per month. New year's resolution: GO!

Enjoy!

_Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and Codename: Sailor V belong to Naoko Takeuchi, and not myself. Alas and woe._

**Chapter Five: Her Aspect and Her Eyes**

He strode to the center of the arena with purpose, each step perfectly balanced and sure. His eyes were serious and confident. "Guard position!" Adonis snapped, raising his scimitar before him. The silver blade gleamed brightly in the early morning light.

Minako drew in a deep breath to steady her nerves and raised the heavy bastard sword before her. Over the past several months, continuous practice with the weapon and developed the muscles in her arm so she could wield it with more ease, but after several hours of practice she could begin to feel the slow burn and dull ache in her arm and shoulder. The plain silver chain was draped around her waist. Narrowing her eyes, she took up a sideways guard position and waited for Adonis to strike.

Adonis came at her like unleashed lightning, feinting to his left before performing a butterfly sweep up towards her right shoulder. Minako spun out of the way, loose strands of golden hair momentarily blurring her vision, and raised her own weapon just in time to block Adonis's chop at her thigh. She allowed herself a very small smirk of satisfaction, and then proceeded into her own attack. Using the momentum Adonis had used against her, she shifted her sword just slightly enough so his blade ran down the length of her own in a shower of sparks, propelled by the Seraphim's own weight, and with a flick of her wrist snapped her fingers with her free left hand.

The chain around her waist sprang to life. It slithered free of the loose knot it was held in, and snaked its way around her arm and down to her wrist. Before Adonis could back away, the chain had wrapped itself around his blade.

With a shout of effort, Minako lunged away from Adonis, using the chain still twisted around her own arm to yank the saber out of Adonis's grasp. She could see the surprise in his wide eyes and for a fleeting moment she thought that victory was hers, but she wasn't the only one wielding two weapons. She could see his hand reach for the dagger sheathed at the small of his back.

Minako leapt backwards, giving herself a few precious feet between her and her opponent. She gnawed at her lower lip, and raised her sword high over her head. The chain pulled the scimitar along with her, which she released with another flick of her wrist behind her. The weapon fell to the ground and bounced out of reach.

"You're mine." She hissed, her blue eyes flashing a golden light to rival that of her mother's.

Adonis felt chills race down his spine, but pressed his attack anyways. He darted in once more, his dagger held in a reverse grip in his right hand. Minako was already a golden blur racing towards him, her sword raised shoulder high.

There was a clang of steel, and Adonis could feel the immense strength ringing through the sword. His dagger trembled for a moment under the pressure, and then they both acted at once to land the finishing strike.

They ended up both standing as still as stone, Adonis with Minako's braid wrapped around one hand and his dagger to her throat, Minako with the tip of her sword pressed against Adonis's chest directly over his heart.

Their eyes locked and Adonis felt a surge of pride. _The goddess of beauty and war…_ He mused. He felt a wild urge to close the distance between them and seize her lips with his own, but Minako was already pulling away, a frown tugging her mouth. Reluctantly, he sheathed his dagger and went to retrieve his scimitar.

"You're disappointed?" Adonis mused, picking up his sword from the floor and wiping a cloth along the length of the blade. Gold dust fell in a sparkling wave to the floor.

"You've been training me for a year now, and still all I can do is match you." Her voice was bitter, almost resentful, but still as lovely as chiming bells.

Adonis watched from the corner of his eye as Minako tugged the tie from the bottom of her braid and combed her fingers through the lengths of her hair. The stands caught the morning light and gleamed like pale gold. _I've been training you for a year now, and I still can't work up the courage to tell you…_ He thought, frowning. It wouldn't be much longer until Artemis would return to the Moon with the senshi-in-training, and then he would lose his chance forever.

Minako saw the frown on his face, and misinterpreted its meaning. A smirk tugged at the corner of her pink lips, and she teasingly said: "I'm not saying that my instructor is wanting, but…" She winked at him and went to a small table that was setup at the edge of the arena to pour herself a glass of water.

Adonis felt his breath catch in his throat, and his heart began to pound in his chest. _That's right… You're wasting your time, you fool! She's leaving soon, but you're alone right now… Just tell her…_

"Princess…" It took all of his courage and strength to whisper the word, when suddenly a second voice was heard shouting: "PRINCESS MINAKO!"

Adonis and Minako turned their heads to the sound, anger flashing in the Seraphim's eyes. Artemis was briskly walking towards them in his humanoid form, waving one hand. Adonis watched on as in a flash of silver light, the Mauian turned into his white cat form and leaped into the air exactly at the right moment for Minako to catch him in her arms, laughing. The two had perfected the exercise over the months. Adonis thought it was a cheap ploy for the guardian to get into his watch's good graces. If he could turn into a cat…

Adonis immediately felt foolish for imaging himself as a blond cat leaping into Minako's arms, snuggling into her chest… He cleared his throat roughly, and walked closer to the two.

"Good morning, Artemis!" Minako was saying cheerfully, scratching the cat between his ears. "Did you come to watch me kick Adonis's behind today?"

"No, actually I came to tell you to hurry and clean up after your practice." The cat blinked his green eyes up at his mistress, pride radiating from him in waves. Adonis knew he had every right to feel that way; Minako was perfection, and knowing that he and Artemis had a hand in molding her to become such a young woman was a heady feeling. "Your mother would like you to be with her to greet some delegates from Earth."

"From Earth?" Minako started walking back towards the palace, absent-mindedly scratching Artemis. Adonis fell into step just one pace behind her. "Did Earth finally sign a treaty to join the Silver Alliance?"

"They're still working through negotiations." Artemis replied. "Aphrodite thinks that is what this meeting is about, but Earth must mean business- they've sent along their crown-prince for this visit. The king might be looking to make a match."

Adonis bristled at both the implied match-making and the casual reference to his goddess and queen, but kept his mouth shut. The cat was allowed to speak candidly with the princess, ever since he became the royal cat-nanny.

"Well I can hardly marry his Highness if I'm to be a senshi." Minako said brightly. "But perhaps I could help negotiations along anyways?" She waggled her eyebrows back towards Adonis, which made the young soldier promptly flush and look away. Minako seemed to enjoy playing with him emotions, and those of all of the other men and women in her life. He was fairly certain her flirting was additional training instructed by her mother, but it was truly enough to drive him mad.

"I'm sure whatever assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated." Adonis replied dryly.

The threesome reached the palace walls. Artemis sprang lightly from Minako's arms to the ground. "I'll meet you outside the throne room when you're ready." The cat said to the princess. "The Earth party should be arriving shortly, but Adonis and I will keep them entertained until you and your mother are ready to greet them."

"Okay, I'll see you both soon then. Thank you for this morning, Adonis! I'll get you next time!" In a flash of golden hair, Minako disappeared into the palace.

Adonis released a deep sigh of a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, and glanced down to see Artemis looking up at him, a searching look in his bottle green eyes.

"What is it?" He asked.

Artemis's whiskers twitched once. "Nothing." The cat responded, and then bounded away.

Minako burst into her chambers to find Sylvia filling her tub with hot soapy water. The older woman smiled warmly at the princess. "Good morning, little love!"

"Did you hear about our visitors?" Minako asked, shrugging out of her training clothes and gingerly climbing into the tub. The warm water immediately began to soothe her aching arms; Adonis's strength with a sword always seemed to jar her down to her bones. "Mother and I will be hosting visitors from Earth this morning!"

"Yes, I've been told." The hand maid poured a pitcher of water over Minako's golden head and began to wash her hair. "It's said that King Paris and his son Endymion will be visiting the entire inner system."

"I wonder why…" Minako mused, running her hands through the soapy water and watching the light catch each ripple. "Has King Paris already spoken with Queen Selene then?"

"Of that, I'm not sure." Sylvia admitted, rinsing out the shampoo. "I have little doubt that your mother will be able to glean that information from the king and his son."

Minako could hear the smile in her maid's words and grinned herself. "And I shall do whatever I can to help her. Has mother requested I dress a certain way?"

Sylvia spent the next hour assisting Minako in getting dressed and fixing her hair. The princess was swathed in a gown of white and pale yellow silk that wrapped around her curves and left her shoulders bare. Her neck was adorned in chains of glittering topazes and diamonds. Sylvia left Minako's hair long and loose, letting it hang in glistening waves to the backs of her knees. When she was deemed ready, she gave Sylvia a tight hug and hurried to the throne room, using the back hallways to avoid bumping into any visitors before she could be officially announced.

"I hardly think that the deception is necessary, father." Endymion complained, running a hand through his short cropped ebony hair. His dark blue eyes were narrowed in frustration. "And if anyone finds out about this, it will blow up in our faces."

King Paris, Prince Endymion, and the royal guard of Earth were currently standing in the portal chamber while they waited to be granted audience by Queen Aphrodite and her mysterious daughter. They had been plied with goblets of wine, trays of cheese and fruits, and some of the most amazing chocolates that Endymion had ever sampled, and then their attendees had excused themselves to check if preparations had been completed.

"We cannot yet trust these… aliens… at their word." Paris replied in a huff. He stood a good foot shorter than his son, his once black hair had turned white long ago, and his eyes were gray rather than his late wife's sapphire. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. You're the heir to my kingdom, and Gaia forbid an enemy might try and use you against me."

"His Royal Majesty is correct, Endymion." Kunzite said softly from where he was standing near the door.

For the sake of "security" (Endymion scoffed at the thought) it was decided that Endymion and Kunzite would switch clothes and names for their visits to Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. With the king's prematurely white hair and gray eyes, it wasn't hard for the silver-haired general to pass as the crown prince. That, and the information regarding Endymion and his birth had been kept a tight-lipped and closely guarded secret by the royal family of Earth.

Consequently, the real Endymion was wearing the grey uniform and white cloak of his most loyal protector, which Kunzite was dressed in the black armor and blue cloak of the prince. Endymion had to admit that Kunzite did strike quite the princely figure in that uniform, however… While King Paris' mind may have been put at ease by the decision, Endymion had a bad feeling that it was nothing but a huge mistake.

"Fine…" Endymion sighed, and then poked Kunzite in the chest with a finger. "But don't do anything to embarrass me!"

Kunzite merely arched one silvery brow at his prince. "Remove your hand, general." He said in a quiet yet menacing voice.

Behind the pair, two men did their best to hide their laughter, while a third simply looked mortified.

Kunzite's raptor glare suddenly turned to the doors between them and the hallway beyond. "Someone is coming. To your places."

Endymion did his best to compose his face and stepped back to join the other three generals: Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite. He elbowed Nephrite in the gut for good measure at the look the brown-haired man was struggling with on his face.

The doors opened, and the man who had greeted them when they first arrived walked back into the room. Endymion recalled him being introduced as "Artemis"; he was the tutor of the new princess, and a representative of Queen Selene from the Moon Kingdom. He and the other men from Earth he stood with knew that they had to be extra careful of their charade while Artemis was around; if word of their deception got back to Selene, it could spell disaster.

Which was exactly why Endymion thought it was all a stupid idea, but his word was nothing up against that of his father's.

"Gentlemen." Artemis said with a smile and a deep bow. (Endymion was just a half second late in bowing along with the other generals; Kunzite and King Paris remained upright.) "If you would please follow me, Queen Aphrodite and Princess Minako will see you now."


End file.
